Display device



Feb. 15, 1949; K S 2,461,536

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Nov. 23, 1944 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 15,1949

OFFICE DISPLAY DEVICE Einil N. Farkas, Chicago, 111. Application November 23, 1944, Serial No. 564,878

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in display devices and more particularly to devices useful as educational or sales aids by portraying objects or functions.

One object of the invention is the provision of a sturdy and relatively inexpensive display device of the type in which transparent sheets bearing indicia are arranged in cooperative relationship with one another.

In display devices of the above-mentioned type the indicia are printed or otherwise applied to sheets of acetate which, on account of their costliness, are usually made extremely thin. These thin sheets, whether used singly or folded in two and bearing indicia visible from both sides, are difiicult to handle during manufacture and when the device is in use.

In order to guard against warping, curling or tearing of the thin sheets of acetate, in my joint patent with Frank F. Farkas, No. 2,091,260, dated 4 Claims. (on. 28343) acetate which can then be'formed into folds to August 31, 1937, sheets of acetate are cemented I to frames of relatively sturdy paper, and in which one or more sheets of acetate bear indicia cooperating with those appearing on the others when the sheets are superimposed and viewed together. While this constituted an important advance in the art, the method and means dis closed therein were expensive because highly specialized machinery and costly adhesives were required.

According to the present invention, an inexpensive and sturdy device is produced by applying the indicia to a sheet of thin transparent flexible material which is formed into two or more folds, and placing between the two layers of each fold a sheet of relatively rigid, inexpensive material, such as paper, provided with a window through which said indicia are visible. Each leaf will thus consist of a triple layer; two relatively flimsy transparent surfaces on the outside and a sturdy paper frame between them. Such leaf can be readily handled without danger of damaging it and will lie flat when not in use.

One of the advantages of my invention is that the triple-layer leaves are sturdy enough to permit their marginal perforation and the use of mechanical binders, such as rings, to hold'them together. Without the paper stiffener, thin acetate sheets even when folded in two would fray or tear at perforations and. must, therefore, be held together by other means than the convenient mechanical or loose-leaf type of binders.

A further advantage resulting from my invention is that efiicient web method of printing can be used to apply the indicia to the thin sheet of receive the stilfenrsf These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly appear from" the claims and the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments thereof as applied to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a book with'parts broken away, made up in accordance withmy present invention; and

Figs. 2, 3 and ,4 are transverse cross-sections of books made up in accordance with three 'dif ferent embodiments of my invention.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 20). the'drawings, l is a sheet of acetate folded back upon itself at 2. In the fold is placed a stiffener consisting of a sheet of paper 3 having a window 4 cut therein and through which indicia such as 5, 5'

and 5" which appear on the inside or outside surfaces of the two folds of the acetate I may be viewed. The element 5 may appear, for instance, on one inside surface of the topmost acetate fold, the element 5' on one of the inside surfaces of the middle acetate fold, and the element 5" on the lowermost acetate fold. When the three leaves are superimposed the appearance of the indicia will be as'it appears in Fig. 1. When the topmost leaf is turned so that only the middle and the lowermost leaves remain in place, then one will see only the elements 5' and 5", and when the second leaf is also turned away then one will see on the bottom leaf solely the element 5". g

The triple layer consisting of the folded sheet of acetate l and the paper'frame 3 is provided with one or more marginal perforations 6 at the edge opposite the folded edge 2 so as to permit the use of mechanical binders, such as rings 1 by means of which two or more triple-layer leaves assembled as above explained can be held together in the form of a book.

The structure thus assembled can be readily handled without danger of damaging the sheets. The sheets will lie flat when the book is opened and the registry between the indicia on the sheets of acetate and the paper frame will be insured.

Fig. 2 illustrates a pamphlet having three triple-layer leaves which are separate from one another and which, as shown in Fig. 1, may be placed between outside covers 8.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the three leaves of a book are formed from a single sheet of acetate la folded into three pockets holding frames 3. The open ends of the folds through which the frames 3 are inserted are perforated as stead of providing a separate frame for each leaf, 5

a sheet of paper 3a provided with two windows to, 4b is interleaved with two adjacent folds.

In all these structures, and particularly in Figs. 3 and 4, the acetate is so formed as to permit the use ofizwebr printing; 7 V

Other'modifications will readily suggest them= selves to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character describeda dicia visible through the folds andgalsheetsofz,

relatively stiff material between the fold's'of the transparent sheet and having a windowzin ali'gn ment with said indicia, the flexible and stiff sheets havinggaligned perforations;- along onewedge '5 8A2..- ranged to receive mechanical binding-means.

2. ,Theedevice, accordingto claim- 1, and in which vthe sheet of relatively-stiff materialsub stantially; fills thez-spacebetween the folds oft-the 25 transparent'sheet and forming therewith a leaf suiilciently sturdy for handling-c 3..In-"a,.device of theaeharacter described; a plurality; oi. marginally perforated. leaves-:each comprising a sheet of transparent relatively, flex: ible: material .foldedupon ,itself and constituting the-,frontand back-surfaces ,of alleai-bearing, cooperating indicia, and, a sheet. 0t. relatively stifi materialabetweem the foldsv of, thetransparent sheet andnhavingi, 8d window-tin alignment with 35 said indicia, and marginal perforations aligned with the perforations in the folded leaves.

4. A display book comprising a sheet of transparent and relatively flexible material, a sheet of relatively rigid material contacting on both of its surfaces with the first sheet, the two sheets being formed into triple-layer folds forming the leaves of the book, the outside ones of the triplelayer folds beingjhe transparent layers of each leaf; saidmutside 'layers abearing :cooperating indicia and the intervening rigid'lay'er having a window in aligment with the indicia, the triplelayer folds forming each leaf being perforated along. one edge to accommodate mechanical bindsheet of transparent relatively flexible material 15 folded upon itself and bearing cooperating in ing. means..

EMIL N. FARKAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date"- 247,394'- Norman Sept. 20'; 1881 509546 Muller Nov. 28, 1893 805,016 Jones Nov. 21, 1905 1,142343 Cauger June 8 1915 1,250,674 Apfelbaum Dec; 11, 1917 1,376,677 Coufal May 3', 1921 1,550,211 Euwer Aug. 18; 1925 1,852,963 Fl'ad'mark Apr; 5;1932' 1,963,439 Gutb'erlet et al.- June 19', 1934 2;G40,251 Fabry' May 12, 1936 2,091,260 Farker; et al; Aug. 31; 1937 2,147,773 Larson Feb-.21, 1939 

